Common Core: 2nd Grade English Language Arts : Reading
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Common Core: 2nd Grade English Language Arts
All Common Core: 2nd Grade English Language Arts Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #10 : Determine Central Message
Marine Animals
Marine animals live in the sea. Many animals call the sea home. Some spend all of their time in water while others also live on land.
Dolphins
Dolphins are mammals. They spend all of their time in water. Dolphins are fast swimmers. They have sleek bodies and a strong tail, called a fluke, to help them move quickly through the water.
Dolphins are social animals. They live in groups called pods. Dolphins are very smart. They talk to each other by making whistling and clicking sounds. Dolphin sounds can be heard from very far away.
Dolphins cannot breathe underwater. They must come to the surface to breathe. Dolphins love to jump and play. They like to play with seaweed and ride waves.
Whales
The largest living animal on Earth is the Blue Whale. All whales are mammals. They spend all of their time in the water. Whales have long, round bodies with flippers and a tail. A whale's tail has 2 fins called flukes. It uses its strong tail to help it swim.
Whales can stay underwater for a long time, but they must come to the surface to breathe. Whales have a blowhole on top of their head that they use to breathe air.
Whales are mostly solitary animals and prefer to live alone. Whales communicate through low, deep noises that can be heard from miles away.
Sharks
Sharks are fish. Sharks spend all of their life underwater. Like fish, sharks have gills on the sides of their heads that help them breathe underwater. Sharks have fins and a strong tail to help them steer and swim through the water. Many sharks also have a fin on top of them.
Sharks have very strong senses. Sharks have good eyesight to help them see underwater. They also have an excellent sense of smell. A shark can smell a drop of blood in the ocean from 5 miles away.
Walruses
Walruses live on ice and in cold water. They have a thick layer of fat, called blubber, to help them stay warm.
Walruses have 2 long tusks, or teeth. They use their tusks to help them dig for food, protect themselves from predators and move around. Walruses have flippers to help them swim in the water and walk on ice. They bark and make loud snorting noises to communicate with other walruses.
Sea Lions
Sea lions got their name from the roaring sound they make. Sea lions also make honking and barking noises. Sea lions like to live in large groups. They are very playful and clever. Sea lions can be trained to do tricks and are often seen in shows at zoos and at the circus.
Sea lions spend their time on land and in water. They have flippers that help them swim in water. When on land they use their flippers to help them walk. Sea lions also have short fur and blubber to help them stay warm in the cool water.
Sea Otters
Sea otters are marine mammals. They use their feet and tails to swim, but spend most of their time floating on their backs on the water. Sea otters even sleep and eat while floating on their backs.
Sea otters do not have blubber. They have thick fur to keep them warm in cold water.
Sea Turtles
The leatherback turtle is the largest turtle in the world. Sea turtles have two sets of flippers that they use to help them swim in the water. Their large, front flippers are very strong and help them move through the water. Their back flippers help them steer. Sea turtles can stay underwater for over an hour before they need to breathe air.
Sea turtles live almost all of their lives in water; however, female sea turtles travel to land to lay eggs. Female sea turtles dig holes in the sand with their flippers to make a nest for their eggs. After they lay eggs, sea turtles return to the sea, leaving their eggs buried on the beach. When baby sea turtles hatch, they crawl towards the water and begin life in the sea.
What is the topic of the text?
Animals that live in the sea
Animals that can and cannot swim
Animal communication
Animals at the zoo
Animals that live in the sea
The topic of a text is who or what it is about. The text is about different animals that live in the sea.
Example Question #11 : Determine Central Message
Marine Animals
Marine animals live in the sea. Many animals call the sea home. Some spend all of their time in water while others also live on land.
Dolphins
Dolphins are mammals. They spend all of their time in water. Dolphins are fast swimmers. They have sleek bodies and a strong tail, called a fluke, to help them move quickly through the water.
Dolphins are social animals. They live in groups called pods. Dolphins are very smart. They talk to each other by making whistling and clicking sounds. Dolphin sounds can be heard from very far away.
Dolphins cannot breathe underwater. They must come to the surface to breathe. Dolphins love to jump and play. They like to play with seaweed and ride waves.
Whales
The largest living animal on Earth is the Blue Whale. All whales are mammals. They spend all of their time in the water. Whales have long, round bodies with flippers and a tail. A whale's tail has 2 fins called flukes. It uses its strong tail to help it swim.
Whales can stay underwater for a long time, but they must come to the surface to breathe. Whales have a blowhole on top of their head that they use to breathe air.
Whales are mostly solitary animals and prefer to live alone. Whales communicate through low, deep noises that can be heard from miles away.
Sharks
Sharks are fish. Sharks spend all of their life underwater. Like fish, sharks have gills on the sides of their heads that help them breathe underwater. Sharks have fins and a strong tail to help them steer and swim through the water. Many sharks also have a fin on top of them.
Sharks have very strong senses. Sharks have good eyesight to help them see underwater. They also have an excellent sense of smell. A shark can smell a drop of blood in the ocean from 5 miles away.
Walruses
Walruses live on ice and in cold water. They have a thick layer of fat, called blubber, to help them stay warm.
Walruses have 2 long tusks, or teeth. They use their tusks to help them dig for food, protect themselves from predators and move around. Walruses have flippers to help them swim in the water and walk on ice. They bark and make loud snorting noises to communicate with other walruses.
Sea Lions
Sea lions got their name from the roaring sound they make. Sea lions also make honking and barking noises. Sea lions like to live in large groups. They are very playful and clever. Sea lions can be trained to do tricks and are often seen in shows at zoos and at the circus.
Sea lions spend their time on land and in water. They have flippers that help them swim in water. When on land they use their flippers to help them walk. Sea lions also have short fur and blubber to help them stay warm in the cool water.
Sea Otters
Sea otters are marine mammals. They use their feet and tails to swim, but spend most of their time floating on their backs on the water. Sea otters even sleep and eat while floating on their backs.
Sea otters do not have blubber. They have thick fur to keep them warm in cold water.
Sea Turtles
The leatherback turtle is the largest turtle in the world. Sea turtles have two sets of flippers that they use to help them swim in the water. Their large, front flippers are very strong and help them move through the water. Their back flippers help them steer. Sea turtles can stay underwater for over an hour before they need to breathe air.
Sea turtles live almost all of their lives in water; however, female sea turtles travel to land to lay eggs. Female sea turtles dig holes in the sand with their flippers to make a nest for their eggs. After they eggs, sea turtles return to the sea, leaving their eggs buried on the beach. When baby sea turtles hatch, they crawl towards the water and begin life in the sea.
Which of the following would be another possible title for the text?
All Types of Fish
Animals of the Sea
At The Beach
Amazing Mammals
Animals of the Sea
The text is about animals that live in the sea. The word “Marine” in the title means of the sea so another title would be Animals on the Sea. Not all animals in the text are fish, nor are all the animals in the text mammals.
Example Question #12 : Determine Central Message
Text 1:
During the year, the weather has four seasons: summer, fall, winter, and spring. Each season can bring very different weather. When the weather changes, people have to make some changes too.
In the summer, the weather is normally very warm. There are green leaves on the trees and bright colored flowers blooming in gardens. To stay cool, people normally wear lightweight clothes in the summer.
The fall brings a change in the leaves and temperature. Tree leaves begin to turn from green to bright orange, yellow, and red. The temperature will begin to get cooler during the fall. People often put away their summer shorts and start wearing jeans in the fall.
Winter is a time for snow! The very cold temperatures of winter bring the snowflakes. The cold temperature also means that many plants won’t grow and that trees are left with no leaves, just bare branches. In the winter many people wear thick winter coats, hats, and gloves to try to keep themselves warm.
In the spring the weather is still warm, but most places get a lot of rain in the spring. All of the rain helps the flowers start to grow. Because of the rain, it’s always smart to have a rain jacket and an umbrella in the spring.
Text 2:
As you are growing up, the four seasons can create a timeline for the year. As a new season starts, there is a new time in the year to look forward to.
Fall means the start of school and school sports! The temperatures start to get cool in the fall, but that’s perfect weather for school events like football and soccer games.
Though winter can bring very cold temperatures, it can also bring snow days! Some places can get a lot of snow, which sometimes means that schools have to close. This means that instead of going to school, kids get to make snowmen and play outside.
When spring comes along, the temperatures get warmer and melt the winter’s snow. Spring also means that school is coming to an end for the year. Teachers are busy trying to plan end of the year activities, and students can’t wait for summer break to begin!
When summer finally arrives, the temperatures are very warm and many kids spend afternoons playing at the pool. Long summer nights are spent catching fire flies in the backyard, or playing flashlight tag.
As the summer comes to end, back to school shopping begins. School supplies are picked out, and kids look forward to starting a new school year.
What was the main topic of both texts?
The sports plated based on the season
The four seasons
The time of the school year based on the season
The clothing to wear based on the season
The four seasons
Both texts are about the four seasons. Text 1 talks about the clothing that people wear during a certain season, but that is not talked about in Text 2. Text 2 talks about the school year, but that is not talked about in Text 1. Text 2 also mentions sports in the fall, but Text 1 does not mention sports.
The correct answer is "The four seasons".
Example Question #13 : Determine Central Message
What is the main idea of the text?
Dogs can do many kinds of jobs
Dogs can help people who are hurt
Dogs are good pets
Dogs can keep people healthy
Dogs at Work
Many people have dogs. Dogs are good friends. They love to play and cuddle. Dogs will keep you company and make you feel better. Dogs will keep you safe and protect you from danger. Dogs are smart. They know their names and can learn cool tricks. Dogs are great pets. But did you know that many dogs have important jobs?
Therapy Dogs
Many dogs work to help people feel better. These dogs are called therapy dogs. Many therapy dogs work in hospitals to keep people happy and comfort people who are sick. Dogs make people feel happy and calm, which can help someone feel better when they are ill. Some therapy dogs work with kids in schools. Kids can read to dogs and practice their skills to become better readers.
Service Dogs
Some dogs have jobs to help people with disabilities. These dogs are called service dogs. Many people who cannot see or hear have service dogs. Service dogs are trained to help their owners in their everyday lives. Service dogs can help people who cannot see by telling them when it is safe to cross the street and leading their owners so they do not trip or run into something. Other service dogs help people who have illnesses. These service dogs are trained to sense when their owner is going to get sick and warn their owner to take medicine or call for help.
Search-and-Rescue Dogs
Search-and-rescue dogs help find people who are lost or trapped. Dogs have a very good sense of smell – much better than humans. Search-and-rescue dogs use their senses to help locate missing people or people who are trapped in caves or fallen buildings.
Detection Dogs
Some dogs, like search-and-rescue dogs, use their sense of smell to help find people who are lost. Other dogs use their sense of smell to find things that are hidden. These dogs are called detection dogs. Detection dogs can help police find people who have broken the law and are hiding. Detection dogs can also help find explosives or bombs before they can cause damage.
Dogs are great pets. They are smart, friendly, and good companions. Dogs also work hard and help us in many ways. It’s a good thing there are dogs!
Dogs can do many kinds of jobs
The text explains the many different jobs dogs do such as helping people who are sick or have a disability, helping find people who are lost or trapped, and helping police find criminals and bombs.
Example Question #1 : Identify Key Details
The Big Game
Max plays on a summer baseball team. The team’s name is The Dragons and the team wears bright green jerseys to each of their games. So far this season, The Dragons have won every game that they have played. They have one game left, the championship game. The winner of the championship game gets a giant trophy and a big pizza party after the game.
On the morning of the championship game Max woke up early, too excited to sleep! From his room he could smell bacon and pancakes, so he rushed to the kitchen. His mom had woken up early and cooked a breakfast for a champion! After his belly was full and he had put on his bright green uniform, Max and his family drove to the ballpark for his final baseball game.
The game started out slow, the score was still 
The final score of the game was 
What did Max do right before leaving for the game?
Took a shower
Put on his uniform
Woke up
Brushed his teeth
Put on his uniform
The answer to this question can be found in the story. In the second paragraph we are told that Max put on his uniform and then his family drove to the ballpark.
"On the morning of the championship game Max woke up early, too excited to sleep! From his room he could smell bacon and pancakes, so he rushed to the kitchen. His mom had woken up early and cooked a breakfast for a champion! After his belly was full and he had put on his bright green uniform, Max and his family drove to the ballpark for his final baseball game."
Example Question #2 : Identify Key Details
Passage 1
Adapted from Little Cinderella (1858)
It happened that the king's son sent invitations to a ball, which was to last two nights, and to which all the great people of the land were invited, the two sisters among the rest. This delighted them extremely, and their thoughts were entirely occupied in selecting their most becoming dresses for the important occasion. Poor Cinderella had now more work to do than ever, as it was her business to iron their linen, and starch their ruffles. The sisters talked of nothing but preparations for the ball. The eldest said, “I shall wear my crimson-velvet dress, and point-lace;” and the younger, “I shall put on my usual dress-petticoat, a mantle embroidered with gold flowers, and a tiara of diamonds.“
They sent to engage the services of the most fashionable hairdresser. They also called Cinderella to their aid; for she had very good taste, and she offered, in the most amiable manner, to arrange their heads herself; of which offer they were only too happy to avail themselves. Whilst so occupied, the eldest said, “Cinderella, should you like to go to the ball?”
“Alas!” said she, “you are ridiculing me. I am not likely to go to the ball.”
“You are right,” replied the sister; “people would be amused to see a Cinderella there.”
Passage 2
Adapted from Cinderella by Henry W. Hewet (1855)
It happened that the king's son gave a ball, to which he invited all the nobility; and, as our two young ladies made a great figure in the world, they were included in the list of invitations. So they began to be very busy choosing what head-dress and which gown would be the most becoming. Here was fresh work for poor Cinderella: for it was she, forsooth, who was to starch and get up their ruffles, and iron all their fine linen; and nothing but dress was talked about for days together. "I," said the eldest, "shall put on my red velvet dress, with my point-lace trimmings." "And I," said the younger sister, "shall wear my usual petticoat, but shall set it off with my gold brocaded train and my circlet of diamonds."
They sent for a clever tire-woman to prepare the double rows of quilling for their caps, and they purchased a quantity of fashionably cut patches. They called in Cinderella to take her advice, as she had such good taste, and Cinderella not only advised them well, but offered to dress their hair, which they were pleased to accept. While she was thus busied, the sisters said to her: "And pray, Cinderella, would you like to go to the ball?"
"Nay, you are mocking me," replied the poor girl; "it is not for such as I to go to balls." "True enough," rejoined they; "folks would laugh to see a Cinderella at a court ball."
Why did the sisters ask Cinderella to help them get ready for the ball?
She had nothing else to do
They wanted to wear her jewelry
She had good taste
They wanted to wear her clothes
She had good taste
The sisters asked Cinderella for help getting ready for the ball because she had good taste. This answer can be found in either passage.
Passage 1:
"They also called Cinderella to their aid; for she had very good taste, and she offered, in the most amiable manner, to arrange their heads herself; of which offer they were only too happy to avail themselves. Whilst so occupied, the eldest said, “Cinderella, should you like to go to the ball?”
Passage 2:
"They called in Cinderella to take her advice, as she had such good taste, and Cinderella not only advised them well, but offered to dress their hair, which they were pleased to accept. While she was thus busied, the sisters said to her: "And pray, Cinderella, would you like to go to the ball?"
Example Question #3 : Identify Key Details
The Big Game
Max plays on a summer baseball team. The team’s name is The Dragons and the team wears bright green jerseys to each of their games. So far this season, The Dragons have won every game that they have played. They have one game left, the championship game. The winner of the championship game gets a giant trophy and a big pizza party after the game.
On the morning of the championship game Max woke up early, too excited to sleep! From his room he could smell bacon and pancakes, so he rushed to the kitchen. His mom had woken up early and cooked a breakfast for a champion! After his belly was full and he had put on his bright green uniform, Max and his family drove to the ballpark for his final baseball game.
The game started out slow, the score was still 
The final score of the game was 
What did Max's mom make for breakfast?
Both pancakes and bacon
Bacon
Pancakes
Both pancakes and toast
Both pancakes and bacon
The answer to this question can be found in the story. We are told in the second paragraph that Max could smell bacon and pancakes, so we can assume that is what his mom cooked for breakfast.
"On the morning of the championship game Max woke up early, too excited to sleep! From his room he could smell bacon and pancakes, so he rushed to the kitchen. His mom had woken up early and cooked a breakfast for a champion! After his belly was full and he had put on his bright green uniform, Max and his family drove to the ballpark for his final baseball game."
Example Question #4 : Identify Key Details
African Elephants
Elephants are the biggest animals living on land. An adult male elephant can weigh as much as 11,000 pounds and be more than 13 feet tall. The biggest elephants live in Africa.
Trunk
Elephants have a long trunk. An elephant uses its trunk in many ways.
An elephant’s trunk is its nose. It uses its trunk to smell and breathe. Elephants also use their trunks like a hand. An elephant can pick up grass and branches with its trunk. It uses its trunk to reach high up and grab food from trees. Elephants are herbivores, which means they only eat plants. Elephants eat fruit, leaves and grass. Adult elephants eat 300-400 pounds of food a day.
Elephants suck up water in their trunks and spray it onto themselves to stay clean. They also use their trunks as snorkels to help them breathe when they are swimming or in deep water.
Elephants use their trunks to make sounds. Elephants roar, rumble and growl. When there is danger, elephants use their trunks to make a loud horn noise to warn others and scare away predators.
Tusks
African elephants have 2 tusks on either side of their trunk. Elephants use their tusks to dig holes and find food and water. They also use their tusks to carry things and even rest their trunks on their tusks. An elephant’s tusks also help it stay safe. Elephants can use their tusks to battle and protect themselves from enemies.
Ears
Elephants have the largest ears of any animal. Elephants use their ears to hear, stay cool, and show feelings. Elephants flap their ears to cool off and keep insects away.
Wrinkled Skin
Elephants have wrinkled skin. Their skin looks rough and tough but it is very sensitive. Elephants cover their skin in mud and dirt to protect themselves from getting a sunburn and bug bites.
Feet
Just like the rest of its body, an elephant has very large feet. Elephants have pads on the bottom of their feet to protect them and help them walk quietly.
What has a long trunk, two big tusks, big ears and wrinkled skin? It’s an African elephant!
According to the text, why does an elephant have pads on the bottom of its feet?
To help it stomp on branches
To help it fight off predators
To help protect it from the hot ground
To help it walk quietly
To help it walk quietly
The text says “Elephants have pads on the bottom of their feet to help them walk quietly.”
Example Question #5 : Identify Key Details
African Elephants
Elephants are the biggest animals living on land. An adult male elephant can weigh as much as 11,000 pounds and be more than 13 feet tall. The biggest elephants live in Africa.
Trunk
Elephants have a long trunk. An elephant uses its trunk in many ways.
An elephant’s trunk is its nose. It uses its trunk to smell and breathe. Elephants also use their trunks like a hand. An elephant can pick up grass and branches with its trunk. It uses its trunk to reach high up and grab food from trees. Elephants are herbivores, which means they only eat plants. Elephants eat fruit, leaves and grass. Adult elephants eat 300-400 pounds of food a day.
Elephants suck up water in their trunks and spray it onto themselves to stay clean. They also use their trunks as snorkels to help them breathe when they are swimming or in deep water.
Elephants use their trunks to make sounds. Elephants roar, rumble and growl. When there is danger, elephants use their trunks to make a loud horn noise to warn others and scare away predators.
Tusks
African elephants have 2 tusks on either side of their trunk. Elephants use their tusks to dig holes and find food and water. They also use their tusks to carry things and even rest their trunks on their tusks. An elephant’s tusks also help it stay safe. Elephants can use their tusks to battle and protect themselves from enemies.
Ears
Elephants have the largest ears of any animal. Elephants use their ears to hear, stay cool, and show feelings. Elephants flap their ears to cool off and keep insects away.
Wrinkled Skin
Elephants have wrinkled skin. Their skin looks rough and tough but it is very sensitive. Elephants cover their skin in mud and dirt to protect themselves from getting a sunburn and bug bites.
Feet
Just like the rest of its body, an elephant has very large feet. Elephants have pads on the bottom of their feet to protect them and help them walk quietly.
What has a long trunk, two big tusks, big ears and wrinkled skin? It’s an African elephant!
According to the text, how does an elephant stay cool when it is hot?
It flaps its ears
It sleeps in the shade of large trees
It sprays water on itself with its trunk
It covers itself in mud and dirt
It flaps its ears
The text says “Elephants use their ears to stay cool on hot days. Elephants flap their ears to cool off and keep insects away.”
Example Question #6 : Identify Key Details
African Elephants
Elephants are the biggest animals living on land. An adult male elephant can weigh as much as 11,000 pounds and be more than 13 feet tall. The biggest elephants live in Africa.
Trunk
Elephants have a long trunk. An elephant uses its trunk in many ways.
An elephant’s trunk is its nose. It uses its trunk to smell and breathe. Elephants also use their trunks like a hand. An elephant can pick up grass and branches with its trunk. It uses its trunk to reach high up and grab food from trees. Elephants are herbivores, which means they only eat plants. Elephants eat fruit, leaves and grass. Adult elephants eat 300-400 pounds of food a day.
Elephants suck up water in their trunks and spray it onto themselves to stay clean. They also use their trunks as snorkels to help them breathe when they are swimming or in deep water.
Elephants use their trunks to make sounds. Elephants roar, rumble and growl. When there is danger, elephants use their trunks to make a loud horn noise to warn others and scare away predators.
Tusks
African elephants have 2 tusks on either side of their trunk. Elephants use their tusks to dig holes and find food and water. They also use their tusks to carry things and even rest their trunks on their tusks. An elephant’s tusks also help it stay safe. Elephants can use their tusks to battle and protect themselves from enemies.
Ears
Elephants have the largest ears of any animal. Elephants use their ears to hear, stay cool, and show feelings. Elephants flap their ears to cool off and keep insects away.
Wrinkled Skin
Elephants have wrinkled skin. Their skin looks rough and tough but it is very sensitive. Elephants cover their skin in mud and dirt to protect themselves from getting a sunburn and bug bites.
Feet
Just like the rest of its body, an elephant has very large feet. Elephants have pads on the bottom of their feet to protect them and help them walk quietly.
What has a long trunk, two big tusks, big ears and wrinkled skin? It’s an African elephant!
According to the text, how does an elephant protect itself from predators?
It makes a loud horn noise to scare predators away
It uses its long trunk to fight predators
It walks away quietly so predators do not hear it
It covers itself in mud and dirt to hide from predators
It makes a loud horn noise to scare predators away
The text says “Elephants use their trunks to make sounds. Elephants roar, rumble and growl. When there is danger, elephants use their trunks to make a loud horn noise to warn others and scare away predators.”
All Common Core: 2nd Grade English Language Arts Resources
